Mechanical connector



W. H. MICHAELSEN.

MECHANICAL CONNECTOR.

APPLICATION FILED MAYB, 1919.

94229880, Patene July i8, QZ

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

ATTORNEY WILLAM HERMAN MICHAELSEN, 0F MOUNT VERNON, NEW YORK.

iaeasso.

i Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July i8, 'lil/i932.

Application lcd May 8, 1919. Serial No. 295,741.

ythe following` is a full, clear, and concise description.

n My invention relates to mechanical connectors ot a type suitable for coupling together two articles mating each other and adapted tor use as a unit when connected together.

More particularly stated, I duce a. mechanical connector of the kind .mentioned and admitting` of general use, but having such ttorm as to be ot peculiar service for connecting scouring brushes, mop heads, polishing pads and the like upon suitable poles, longitudinal handles or anal ogous portable supporting members, to be actuated by hand.

`While my invention may be incorporated in a. great variety of devices I do not deem vit necessary or practicable to show or describe all ot them, as the principles ot the invention may be understood from the instances here set 'forth as typical.

Reference is made to the accompanying` drawing- 'forming apart of this specification, and in which like characters indicate like parts throughout the several figures.

Figure 1. is a perspective showing` one form ot my device, as used for connecting a scrubbing` brush with the handle 'whereby it is operated.

Figure 2 is a perspective ot the scrubbing; brush as it appears without the handle and connector plate.

F igure lis a view, partly in plan and partly in section, of the connector' plate and 'the handle pivotally connected thereto.

Figure ilis a view, partly in plan and partly'in section, of a torni oit' my device as used. tor connecting the brush and handle in a different way from that contemplated by F igures l to 3 inclusive.

F i'iigure 5 is a side elevation of the mechanisrn shown in Figure 4.

Figure G is a plan view ot the brush shown in Figure 4, but without the handle and connecting plate.

Figure 7 is a section on the line 7--7 of seek to provmetal F igure 5, looking` in the direction indicated by the arrows.

A. brush back 8 is provided with bristle tu its 9,'these parts being ot the usual `or any "desired construction.

ilounted rigidly upon the brush back 8 and extending longitudinally in the general direction ot the length thereof is a cleat l0, made ot any suitable material, in this particular instance sheet steel, stamped or sheared out. The cleat rests upon washers ll., to whiclrit is secured by screws 'l2 which extend through the washers and enrage the brush back. The cleat is. thus spaced trom the brush back by a distance Ycommensurate Ywith the thickness ot the washers.

The cleat l() has generally the: torm of a flat strip, the edges of which are suliistantiallyparallel with the edges ot the brush hack.'

The cleat is provided at one of its ends with a portion 13, having ya general arcuate Vt'orm. and struck up or bent to a ri ght angle with the general body portion ot the cleat. Thus the member 13 is integral with the cleat, and has the form oi a lip. The gcneral direction in which it extends is oblique relatively to the brush back.

The cleat l0 vis also provided, at its end opposite the lip i3, with a small, tlat, raised portion l5, which is integrally connected with the general body portion ot the cleat bv a slanting' portion 1G. Thus the small itat portion 15 is displaced slightly from the `general plane of the cleat, but is parallel therewith. It serves the purpose of a hook, as hereinafter described.

A handle is shown at 17 and is of the type known as a pole handle. It is provided with an end portion 17a, which is substantially square' in cross section.

bearing` 18 is provided with side walls 19 integral with it. and is made of" sheet The bearing as a^ whole has a general U-"torm-v A *piny 20 extends through the side walls 19 and through the end portion 17 ot the handle.

The bearing` 18 is by rivets 2l (see Figure 3) secured to a connector plate 22. This connector plate is made ot sheet metal, preferably steel, and is provided with slots 23, 2l and 25. The slot 23 is disposed adjacent will lill. it, neatly but not tightly.

A taper key 26 is mounted upon a chain 36, which is connected to the handle 17, so that the hey is always with the handle.

In order to connect the handle 17 with the brush bach, the connector plate 22 is so handled that the slot Q is passed over the raised end portion ot the cleatf so that the slanting portion 16 of the cleat is caused to occupy and fill the slot. In doing this the connector' plate is brought down flat upon the cleat, so that the lip 13 projects upwardly through the slot Q3. The taper key 26 is thereupon thrust into the slot 14, so as to extend through the lip, as shown in Figure l.

Th us the connector plate is held firmly in position, being secured by the key 26, lip 13. and the flat portion 15 of the cleat, as well as by the slanting portion 16 thereof. The Hat portion 15 overhangs the adjacent edge portion ot' the connector plate.

The handle 1.7 swings freely within the bearing 18.

lll ith the parts thus connected, the brush is manipulated by aid ot the handle, in much the same manner as any other brush having a pivoted handle.

ln order to disengage the handle and connector plate from the brush the key 26 is simply drawn out, whereupon the connector plate is lifted Off.

.ln the form shown in Figures 4 to 7, inclusive, the brush back appears at 27 and the cleat at 28, the cleat being secured upon it by screws 29. The cleat is disposed crosswise of the length of the brush, and is provided with a tongue 3() having an arcuate 'form and provided with a slot 3l into which is fitted the taper key 26, carried upon the chain 26a. The cleat is provided with a slanting portion 32 and with a small flat portion 33 which is displaced or raised slightly in relation to the general plane of the cleat.

he connector plate appears at 34;, and is provided with edges 35, 36 which are curved and which project slightly, as shown in Figure et, so as to give the connector plate a width slightly greater than that of the brush hack. The plate has also a slot 34a.

The connector plate 34 is provided with two ears 37 partially stamped or cut from the plate and therefore integral therewith, these ears being bent upwardly and parallel to each other so as to serve as a bearing. Two holes 38 remain in the connector plate, in consequence of its mutilation in :forming the ears 37.

The connector plate is mounted upon the end portion 17a ot the handle, in the manner above described with reference to the connector plate 22, with the exception that with the form shown in Figures a to 7 inclusive the swinging movement of the handle is across the length ot the brush, whereas in the form previously described the swinging movement of the handle is in the direction of the length of the brush.

In other respects, the structure and action of the form shown in 4 to 7 inclusive is the same as that of the form shown in the other figures.

it desired, the connector plate :22, shown in Figure 3, can be used with the brush hack Q7 shown in Figure 6. In this event the slot 24 shown in Figure 3 serves the saine purpose as the slot 34a shown in Figure 4.

l do not limit myself to the precise mechanism shown, as variations may be made therefrom without departing 'trom the spirit oi my invention.

I claim:

1. A device of the character described comprising a cleat made ot sheet metal and having the form of a iat plate, said cleat being provided with an upturned lip and with an extending portion formed into a hook, a connector plate provided with a slot tor receiving said upturned lip and with another slot for receiving said hook, a fastening member for detachably engaging said lip and an adjacent portion of said connector in order to prevent the separation of said connector plate from said cleat, and a handle mounted upon said connector plate by means ot a Hexible connection.

2. A mechanical connector comprising a connector plate provided with a pluralityot slots, means for mounting` said connector plate upon a handle, so as to allow said handle to swing relatively to said connector. a cleat provided with an end portion for extending through one of said slots and further provided with a lip for extending through another of said slots, the parts being so formed and arranged that when said end portion extends through one slot and said lip extends through another slot said end portion can not be withdrawn without first withdrawing said lip, and means controllable at the will ot the operator 'for preventing the withdrawal ot' said lip.

WILLIAM HERMAN MICHAELSEN. 

